The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-01
THE BASE BALL OUTLOOK.
What Persons Who Ought to Know Think
About lndianapolis's Prospects.
The st. Louis Maroons Must Disband and an
Eighth League Club Almost Certain
10 BE Located in This City.

The Sporting Life of this week says that it is
certain that Indianapolis is to be admitted to the
League and that the St Louis and Kansas City
clubs are to be concentrated in this city with
all their strength. The paper treats the dis
bandment of the ST Louis club as foreeone
conclusion, and, although it sympathizes with
President Stromberg. it considers his kick inin-
dicious and his position untenable. '.tirantad
that he may sell his plav..rs.r it saws. "when.
wnere and 10 wnc.s.u ne pleases, who will he sell
them TOT He cannot, under the edlct
of the league committee, sell them to
League clubs. as they are bound by the action
of that committee, and no release will be accept
ed nor contract approved by President Young.
Of course, if no League club can touch these
players. no other national agreement club can.
1t seems like harsh treatment of the St Louis
club by its fellow-members, and yet the League
is but acting in self defense and for self protec-
ton. It has held hands off and has given
the St. Louis club every chance to prove that
it meant to act in good faith. The course
Of the club however, has not been such
as to command the confidence of it's League col :
leagues, and, of late, the purpose of the clubs
officials has been quite evident The League
committee of three was appointed solely because
the League mistruSted st. Louis, and with a
view to preventing the barter and sale of the
players, and consequent disbandmeEt of the
club, to the serious detriment Of the League
Had the League committee not stepped in to
prevent the sale Of any of the Maroon players
there is no doubt that the three most valuable
players would have been auctioned off, and the
rest, with the franchise, transferred to Indian
apolis or any other city willing to buy
By this it will be seen that Stromberg's posi-
ton, and that of the Maroons, is truly critical
ID H. 49,
hands of the League, aud St. Louis can not now
dictate terms. but must abide by what the League
considers fair price. A League franchise
means nothing more than membership in the
League, and as that body has the right to decide
the eligibility of such membership, even if pur-
chased, it will be seen how helpless the
Maroons are. They might sell their franchise
to any town they chose but they could
not deliver the goods as the League would have
a final voice as to the recognition of the transfer
and admission to membership So it will be
seen that unless the Maroons have sufficient
nerve to go on, in spite OF certain ruin the club
will be driven to accept Indianapolis's offer or
resign its franchise to the League on such terms
as it may be able to obtain.
The st. Louis correspondent of the Sporting
Life, in the same issue, says: There is no doubt
but that the Maroon people have been dicker-
ing with the Indianapolis syndicate, aud still
less doubt that Indianapolis will be represented
in the National League next season."
From Boston comes a sort of opinion, ex.
pressed in the same paper, half one way and
half the other. The people there believe with
George Washington Durham, that Indianapolis
is all she claims to be, and will be all she ex-
poets to be; but when "Pritchard," the St Louis
correspondent entrances them with his attenu
ated stuff, they believe him, too. The CORE
spondent at Boston interviewed President Soden
of the League club of that city, who said:
Give us anything rather than st. Louis
think Indianapolis would make very gooG
town."
''Do you think it will be the placer
II shouldn't be surprised. You can be sure O
one thing, something is going to drop in st
Louis"
when it drops will it land Glasscock in Bos
tonl"
II wish l knew and should like to find thu
| man who does but there is one thing-l don
| believe he will play ball in st. Louis next sea
| son."
| President Nick Young was interviewed il
| Washington yesterday about the rumors con
| corning the transfer of the Maroons to this city
past experience with St. Louis" ne said
| s'tends to demonstrate it is not always safe t.
| depend upon stories concerning the disband
ment of the Maroons. At the last League meet
| ing the status and prospects OF the Maroon
| were very carefully considered and in order t.
benefit them as much as possible, they were con
| ceded the privilege of playing Sunday game
| with other than League organizations This
| and other considerations which were fully ey
| planned at that time, induce my belief tina
the st. Louis team will play through thi
season, and my latest information from MI
Stromberg is to that effect. Not a word ha
| been communicated to me officially on this SUI
| iect, and hence do not take much stock in tn
| suggestion of the Indianapolis deal. although "
may take some action in the premises at the mex
| League meeting, when the schedule for the ses
| son is to be prepared. am hrm believer
| the staying powers or the Maroons, and my Opt
ion is that they viii stick out this season any
| how"
BY these ideas, opinions and predictions tn
state of the baseball project is left for any com
petent person to work out. Both sides speak
things as certain" positive and in othe
strong terms, and deny the assertions of eac
other. Conjecture, however. points a shadow
finger to the words. Indianapolis, the eight
League club in 1887"